Head of CTBTO hopes that next step by DPRK will be to join the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

Vienna - Tibor Tóth, head of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), said today he hopes the announcement of a moratorium on nuclear tests and other nuclear activities by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is a step towards its signature and ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

“I welcome DPRK's agreement to a moratorium on nuclear tests,” Tóth said. “This is the right step in the right direction. My sincere hope is that this step will lead to the later signature and ratification by North Korea of the Test Ban Treaty. And that it will lead to the early entry into force of the Treaty, together with the remaining seven ratifications.”

The countries that have yet to ratify the CTBT for entry into force are, apart from the DPRK: China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan and the United States.

“North Korea was the last State ever that conducted nuclear tests. The monitoring system of the CTBTO successfully detected and notified the international community about the two North Korean nuclear tests in October 2006 and May 2009," Tóth said.

Background

The CTBT bans all nuclear explosions by everyone, everywhere: on the Earth’s surface, in the atmosphere, in outer space, underwater and underground. 182 countries have signed the Treaty, of which 157 have also ratified it. An unprecedented global verification regime with over 300 sensors monitors the globe around the clock for nuclear explosions to detect any violations of the Treaty.

For further information on the CTBT, please see www.ctbto.org – your resource on ending nuclear testing, or contact: